Copyright & Media Update 4/27/2018

BY PAULA PARISI: In what is being hailed as a historic day for music creators, theMusic Modernization Act passed the House Wednesday, paving the way for improved royalty payments to songwriters, artists and creatives in the digital era. The bill, HR 5477, passed unanimously with 415 votes. The bill is overwhelmingly supported by the music industry, and has bipartisan support in the house, where it was introduced by co-sponsors Robert Goodlatte (R-VA) and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). READ MORE…

BY ERIQ GARDNER:Nearly three years after major record labels reached a $210 million settlement with SiriusXM over the use of sound recordings created before 1972, a new legal fight has erupted over the licensing of classic songs by such artists as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. READ MORE…

BY DANIEL SANCHEZ:Yesterday, Spotify announced significant improvements to its free tier service, including on-demand song playback. Now, investors have responded to the news. Spotify’s stock went down 1.5% yesterday. This morning, shares opened 0.54% lower than yesterday’s closing price.READ MORE…

BY JONATHAN BAILEY:It was a copyright dispute custom-built to get widespread media attention. Not only did it involve an adorable animal, a viral photo and a quirky copyright question, but it expanded to involve a divisive charity and a push to support animal personhood. READ MORE…

About Christian Copyright Solutions: CCS’s quest is to help churches and Christian ministries “do music right.” CCS is an expert on church music copyrights and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches, as well as representation, administration, and advocacy for copyright owners. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.